Vietnam’s National Child Helpline (NCHL) has been instrumental in prioritising child protection across the country since its launch in 2004. The helpline receives over 500,000 calls annually and has recently upgraded its dedicated app, ‘App 111’ or ‘Tong dai 111’, to reach more communities and enhance its ability to keep children safe.
Vietnam’s dedicated safety app, App 111, is helping to protect children from harm.
Luu (11), from Hoa Binh province, says she feels much safer knowing that she can ask for help with just a click of a button: “It’s like I have another friend to protect me. I use the app to report issues such as bullying or violence. Plus, it’s really easy to use.”
Luu’s friend, Hai (11), says the app has taught them important safety skills, such as ways to deal with conflict, prevent abuse and who to contact if they feel unsafe or see a friend being bullied.
“I can now recognise and stand up for my rights and my friends as well. I have more tools to deal with tricky situations,” explains Hai.
The National Child Helpline has 32 counsellors who work in three shifts, 24 hours a day, to handle a continuous stream of calls related to child protection. However, the volume of calls can be a challenge, and the lack of communication channels and information-sharing platforms makes it difficult to coordinate with local authorities to resolve and support child protection cases.
“I can now recognise and stand up for my rights and my friends as well. I have more tools to deal with tricky situations.”
Hai, 11
To address these challenges, ChildFund Vietnam, together with the Department of Child Affairs, has made important upgrades to App 111 to strengthen and expand the country’s Child Protection System and Service for children and their families. New additions include functions such as the document library where users can access materials focused on child online safety skills and how to prevent child abuse, plus a phone book with contacts of people who can support children and users. AI has also been introduced with a chatbot interacting with users (in the future the callbot function will be added to assist calls).
Vietnam’s National Child Helpline’s dedicated mobile app, ‘App 111’ or ‘Tong dai 111’, is helping children protect themselves against harm and report any safety concerns.
Ms. Thao, the Deputy Head of the National Child Helpline, says the upgrade is a significant step forward in improving the performance and features of the Helpline system: “The changes have created a better user experience and improved our working processes.”
“This app is great! Other than reporting concerns about children, my children and I have also gained child protection knowledge and skills through the document library.”
Mr. Luan
App 111 is not only an invaluable aid to children and Helpline staff, but also to carers and parents like Mr. Luan, who lives in the Kim Boi district, Hoa Binh province.
“This app is great! Other than reporting concerns about children, my children and I have also gained child protection knowledge and skills through the document library,” says Mr. Luan.
In addition to upgrades to App 111, new case management software is gradually demonstrating the power of technology in enhancing the effectiveness of child protection work. Ms. Phuong, a Social Work Officer in Kim Boi district, says the case management software has helped streamline their documentation process.
“It’s much more practical. Instead of sending hard copies of documents, as was traditionally done, the software allows users to export data and store files of current and past cases,” she explains. “Now, I can easily monitor the status of cases and generate reports when required.”
The Department of Child Affairs will continue to enhance and expand Helpline’s App 111 and case management software to help create a safer and brighter future for children across Vietnam.
Some people really mean it when they say they don’t want anything. So this Christmas, give them something that gives to those in need instead.
Gift-giving can be challenging at the best of times. Throw into the mix buying for someone who seems to have everything under the sun, or claims they don’t want anything, and it can feel impossible to find the ‘perfect’ gift to give. Luckily, we have a whole catalogueof unique, thoughtful and charitablegifts to suit any taste or budget. Plus, they won’t end up as landfillor regifted!
To help you choose, we’ve gathered a few of our great Gifts for Good guaranteed to bring a smile to the hard-to-shop-for friend in your life this festive season and beyond.
We all love to hate mozzies, especially over the festive season. While your friend, colleague or loved one may already own a mosquito net countless others aren’t so fortunate. Every two minutes, somewhere in the world, a child dies from malaria. Even more children suffer needlessly from this devastating – and preventable – disease. Insecticide-treated mosquito netsare a great Christmas gift if you’re looking for a meaningful gift that won’t break the bank but will help save lives this holiday season.
‘Tis the season of eating delicious food with friends and loved ones. But for countless children and their families, nutritious meals can be hard to come by. This gift can make all the difference. Pay it forward this Christmas by gifting that tricky person three fruit trees and vegetable seeds in their name. Your gift will keep nutritious and delicious gardens growing and help provide a lasting source of nutrition and income for families in need.
If you’re after a Christmas gift for a favourite teacher or friend who always has their head in a book, this is the gift for you. A good set of school supplies can make the world of difference to students in developing communities. In Cambodiaand Laos, children, especially girls, often face barriers to receiving a quality education. Your gift will provide a student with essential items such as pens, pencils, and notebooks for a successful year of learning, along with a backpack to carry them in.
If the person on your Christmas gift list loves their dairy, consider gifting them one of our much-loved dairy goats. Goats are one of the very best ways to help children and families in need. Your gift can provide fresh milk, yoghurt and more to keep children healthy and nourished all year round. Since goats breed easily, baby goats can also be raised or sold to provide additional income for families. This is a gift that keeps on giving!
Buying a Christmas gift for someone who can’t stop cleaning? Donate a handwashing station in their name! Handwashing can slow the spread of infectious diseases and make the world of difference to the wellbeing of children. But many communities lack access to clean water or soap for washing. Your gift of a handwashing station can help keep children safe and healthy. Anyone who values personal hygiene and instilling lifelong (and lifesaving) cleaning habits will love this charitable gift.
We’re calling it – this is *the* Christmas gift for any animal-lover. Sheep are a favourite giftof farming families around the world. That’s because sheep can provide plenty of delicious and nutritious milk (that is twice as rich as cow’s milk) to help children grow and stay healthy. Their wool can also be used to make blankets and jumpers to keep children warm.
Don’t wait until Mother’s Day to celebrate the mother-figure in your life. This extraordinary gift will help support pregnant women living in remote communities around the world. Our birthing kits are stocked with lifesaving medical supplies to help mums-to-be give birth safely at home while hospitals and health clinics are closed or overwhelmed. Each birthing kit contains equipment and hygiene products to help mum’s deliver their newborns and give them the best start to life.
The person who has everything most likely also has all the latest gadgets and tech in their possession. This Christmas, why not share their tech-obsession with students who could greatly benefit from tablets and computers? These devices help teachers deliver more engaging and interactive lessons, track students’ progress and help aspiring young learners improve their grades. Tablets and computers also help children living in rural communities learn better remotely – they can access a digital library full of great educational resources and games – and give them a greater chance of achieving their dreams.
We love sharing gifts that do good! See even more Christmas gifts we recommend here. Don’t forget to make your Gift for Good even more special with one of our Christmas cards! Donate a Gift for Good and you’ll receive an card carrying a personalised message, or a postal card with a beautiful photo and description of your chosen gift. You can also choose a PDF card that you can print anytime.
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